Reflection
"Reflection" is a song from the 1998 animated film Mulan. The song was performed within the movie's narrative by Fa Mulan sung by Lea Salonga, in order to show how much Mulan wanted to honor her family. Plot The song is performed after Mulan returns home following a failed attempt to impress her matchmaker. The lyrical content expresses the way Mulan feels about wanting to show the world who she really is instead of pretending to be who she is not, but is afraid to disappoint her family by doing so. This scene takes place at Mulan's home in its surrounding gardens and ends in her family temple, where she removes her makeup to reveal her true appearance. Lyrics Movie Version= Look at me I will never pass for a perfect bride Or a perfect daughter Can it be I'm not meant to play this part? Now I see That if I were truly to be myself I would break my family's heart Who is that girl I see Staring straight Back at me? Why is my reflection someone I don't know? Somehow I cannot hide Who I am Though I've tried When will my reflection show Who I am inside? When will my reflection show Who I am inside? |-|Original Version= Look at me I will never pass for a perfect bride Or a perfect daughter Can it be I'm not meant to play this part? Now I see That if I were truly to be myself I would break my family's heart Who is that girl I see Staring straight Back at me? Why is my reflection someone I don't know? Who is that perfect bride? It's not me Though I've tried. When will my reflection show Who I am inside? How I pray That a time will come I can free myself From their expectations On that day I'll discover someway to be myself And to make my family proud They want a docile lamb No-one knows Who I am Must there be a secret me I'm forced to hide? Must I pretend that I'm Someone else for all time? When will my reflection show Who I am inside? When will my reflection show Who I am inside? |-|Christina Aguilera Version= Look at me You may think you see who I really am, But you'll never know me Everyday It's as if I play a part Now I see If I wear a mask I can fool the world But I cannot fool my heart Who is that girl I see Staring straight Back at me? When will my reflection show Who I am inside? I am now In a world where I have to hide my heart, And what I believe in But somehow I will show the world what's inside my heart And be loved for who I am Who is that girl I see Staring straight Back at me? Why is my reflection someone I don't know? Must I pretend that I'm Someone else for all time? When will my reflection show Who I am inside? There's a heart that must be free to fly, That burns with a need to know the reason why Why must we all conceal What we think How we feel? Must there be a secret me I'm forced to hide? I won't pretend that I'm someone else For all time When will my reflection show Who I am inside? When will my reflection show Who I am inside? Trivia *This song was meant to be much longer, but the filmmakers wanted to save time in the movie. In the deleted version, Mulan not only takes off her bun, makeup, and jewelery, she also takes off her sashes. Also, the deleted version shows Mulan riding Khan through mountains and a swamp. *When Mulan sings "Reflection" in her father's shrine, the writing on the temple stones is the names of the Disney animators who worked on the film, written in ancient Chinese. *Tony/Olivier Award-Winning actress Lea Salonga originally auditioned for Mulan's voice, but it was deemed "not deep enough" for when Mulan is impersonating a male soldier. Although Ming-Na Wen plays Mulan, Salonga was retained for Mulan's singing voice. *Lea Salonga sang "Reflection" on the Disney Expo right after she received the Disney Legend Award for being the singing voice of Jasmine and Mulan. *In the Lizzie McGuire episode "Random Acts of Miranda", where Miranda has a failed stunt as an actress in the school talent show, she decides to become a singer instead, and sings "Reflection." *The movie credits' version of the song is the first to stay the same on any Disneymania volume. *The film is credited with launching the career of Christina Aguilera, whose first song to be released in the US was the film's song "Reflection". The song was so well received that it landed her a recording contract with RCA Records. *Christina Aguilera sung the song at the 2019 Disney Legends ceremony. Gallery ImagesCAKT1U9X.jpg|I'm not meant to play this part? Reflection.png Tumblr m397esCFwF1qg4sr0o10 1280.jpg Reflection 3.jpg Reflection - Christina Aguilera.jpg MulanReflection1.png Reflection-mulan-32957031-1904-1071.jpg Mulan-Reflection.png Category:Songs Category:Disney Princess songs Category:Mulan songs Category:Hero/Heroine songs Category:Songs in Disney Sing Along Songs videos Category:Golden Globe Award nominated songs Category:Songs with alternate lyrics Category:Featured songs Category:Closing songs Category:Lizzie McGuire